Browsing by Author "Williams, Linda S."
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Item Association between admission haematocrit and mortality among men with acute ischaemic stroke(BMJ, 2018-04-24) Sico, Jason J.; Myers, Laura J.; Fenton, Brenda; Concato, John; Williams, Linda S.; Bravata, Dawn M.; Neurology, School of MedicineObjective: Anaemia is associated with higher mortality among patients with non-stroke cardiovascular conditions; less is known regarding the relationship between anaemia and mortality among patients with acute ischaemic stroke. Methods: Medical records were abstracted for n=3965 veterans from 131 Veterans Health Administration facilities who were admitted with ischaemic stroke in fiscal year 2007. Haematocrit values within 24 hours of admission were classified as ≤27%, 28%-32%, 33%-37%, 38%-42%, 43%-47% or ≥48%. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between anaemia and in-hospital, 30-day, 6-month and 1-year mortality, adjusting for age, medical comorbidities, modified Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation-III and stroke severity. Impact factors were calculated to standardise comparisons between haematocrit tier and other covariates. Results: Among n=3750 patients included in the analysis, the haematocrit values were ≤27% in 2.1% (n=78), 28%-32% in 6.2% (n=234), 33%-37% in 17.9% (n=670), 38%-42% in 36.4% (n=1366), 43%-47% in 28.2% (n=1059) and ≥48% in 9.1% (n=343). Patients with haematocrit ≤27%, compared with patients in the 38%-42% range, were more likely to have died across all follow-up intervals, with statistically significant adjusted ORs (aORs) ranging from 2.5 to 3.5. Patients with polycythaemia (ie, haematocrit ≥48%) were at increased risk of in-hospital mortality (aOR=2.9; 95% CI 1.4 to 6.0), compared with patients with mid-range admission haematocrits. Pronounced differences between patients receiving and not receiving blood transfusion limited our ability to perform a propensity analysis. Impact factors in the 1-year mortality model were 0.46 (severe anaemia), 0.06 (cancer) and 0.018 (heart disease). Conclusions: Anaemia is independently associated with an increased risk of death throughout the first year post stroke; high haematocrit is associated with early poststroke mortality. Severe anaemia is associated with 1-year mortality to a greater degree than cancer or heart disease. These data cannot address the question of whether interventions targeting anaemia might improve patient outcomes.Item The association between socioeconomic status and disability after stroke: Findings from the Adherence eValuation After Ischemic stroke Longitudinal (AVAIL) registry(2014-03) Bettger, Janet Prvu; Zhao, Xin; Bushnell, Cheryl; Zimmer, Louise; Pan, Wenqin; Williams, Linda S.; Peterson, Eric DBackground Stroke is the leading cause of disability among adults in the United States. The association of patients’ pre-event socioeconomic status (SES) with post-stroke disability is not well understood. We examined the association of three indicators of SES—educational attainment, working status, and perceived adequacy of household income—with disability 3-months following an acute ischemic stroke. Methods We conducted retrospective analyses of a prospective cohort of 1965 ischemic stroke patients who survived to 3 months in the Adherence eValuation After Ischemic stroke – Longitudinal (AVAIL) study. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the relationship of level of education, pre-stroke work status, and perceived adequacy of household income with disability (defined as a modified Rankin Scale of 3–5 indicating activities of daily living limitations or constant care required). Results Overall, 58% of AVAIL stroke patients had a high school or less education, 61% were not working, and 27% perceived their household income as inadequate prior to their stroke. Thirty five percent of patients were disabled at 3-months. After adjusting for demographic and clinical factors, stroke survivors who were unemployed or homemakers, disabled and not-working, retired, less educated, or reported to have inadequate income prior to their stroke had a significantly higher odds of post-stroke disability. Conclusions In this cohort of stroke survivors, socioeconomic status was associated with disability following acute ischemic stroke. The results may have implications for public health and health service interventions targeting stroke survivors at risk of poor outcomes.Item The Association of Cerebral Palsy with Other Disability in Children with Perinatal Arterial Ischemic Stroke(2007-10) Golomb, Meredith R.; Saha, Chandan; Garg, Bhuwan P; Azzouz, Faouzi; Williams, Linda S.The association of cerebral palsy with other disabilities in children with perinatal stroke has not been well-studied. We examined this association in 111 children with perinatal stroke: 67 with neonatal presentation, and 44 with delayed presentation. Seventy-six children (68%) had cerebral palsy, which was hemiplegic in 66 and tri- or quadriplegic in 10. Fifty-five (72%) children with cerebral palsy had at least one other disability: 45 (59%) had a cognitive/speech impairment (moderate-severe in 20), and 36 (47%) had epilepsy (moderate-severe in 11). In children with neonatal presentation, cerebral palsy was associated with epilepsy (P = 0.0076) and cognitive impairment (P = 0.0001). These associations could not be tested in children with delayed presentation because almost all children in this group had cerebral palsy. In another analysis with multivariate logistic regression for children with cerebral palsy, children who had both neonatal presentation and history of cesarean-section delivery were more likely to have epilepsy (P = 0.001). Children with cerebral palsy after perinatal stroke who had neonatal presentation were more likely to have severe cognitive impairment (odds ratio, 7.78; 95% confidence interval, 1.80-47.32) or severe epilepsy (odds ratio, 6.64; 95% confidence interval, 1.21-69.21) than children with delayed presentation. Children with cerebral palsy after perinatal stroke are likely to have an additional disability; those with neonatal presentation are more likely to have a severe disability.Item Association of Prediabetes and Diabetes With Stroke Symptoms The REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) Study(2012-09) Carson, April P; Muntner, Paul; Kissella, Brett M; Kleindorfer, Dawn O.; Howard, Virginia J; Meschia, James F; Williams, Linda S.; Prineas, Ronald J; Howard, George; Safford, Monika MOBJECTIVE Stroke symptoms among individuals reporting no physician diagnosis of stroke are associated with an increased risk of future stroke. Few studies have assessed whether individuals with diabetes or prediabetes, but no physician diagnosis of stroke, have an increased prevalence of stroke symptoms. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS This study included 25,696 individuals aged ≥45 years from the REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study who reported no history of stroke or transient ischemic attack at baseline (2003–2007). Glucose measurements, medication use, and self-reported physician diagnosis were used to categorize participants into diabetes, prediabetes, or normal glycemia groups. The presence of six stroke symptoms was assessed using a validated questionnaire. RESULTS The prevalence of any stroke symptom was higher among participants with diabetes (22.7%) compared with those with prediabetes (15.6%) or normal glycemia (14.9%). In multivariable models, diabetes was associated with any stroke symptom (prevalence odds ratio [POR] 1.28 [95% CI 1.18–1.39]) and two or more stroke symptoms (1.26 [1.12–1.43]) compared with normal glycemia. In analyses of individual stroke symptoms, diabetes was associated with numbness (1.15 [1.03–1.29]), vision loss (1.52 [1.31–1.76]), half-vision loss (1.54 [1.30–1.84]), and lost ability to understand people (1.34 [1.12–1.61]) after multivariable adjustment. No association was present between prediabetes and stroke symptoms. CONCLUSIONS In this population-based study, almost one in four individuals with diabetes reported stroke symptoms, which suggests that screening for stroke symptoms in diabetes may be warranted.Item Auto-titrating continuous positive airway pressure for patients with acute transient ischemic attack: a randomized feasibility trial(Ovid Technologies Wolters Kluwer -American Heart Association, 2010-07) Bravata, Dawn M.; Concato, John; Fried, Terri; Ranjbar, Noshene; Sadarangani, Tanesh; McClain, Vincent; Struve, Frederick; Zygmunt, Lawrence; Knight, Herbert J.; Lo, Albert; Richerson, George B.; Gorman, Mark; Williams, Linda S.; Brass, Lawrence M.; Agostini, Joseph; Mohsenin, Vahid; Roux, Francoise; Klar Yaggi, H.; Department of Medicine, IU School of MedicineBACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Transient ischemic attack (TIA) patients are at risk of recurrent vascular events. The primary objectives were to evaluate among TIA patients the prevalence of sleep apnea and among patients with sleep apnea auto-titrating continuous positive airway pressure (auto-CPAP) adherence. The secondary objective was to describe among TIA patients with sleep apnea the recurrent vascular event rate by auto-CPAP use category. METHODS: All intervention patients received auto-CPAP for 2 nights, but only intervention patients with evidence of sleep apnea received auto-CPAP for the remainder of the 90-day period. Intervention patients received polysomnography at 90 days after TIA. Control patients received polysomnography at baseline and at 90 days. Acceptable auto-CPAP adherence was defined as >or=4 hours per night for >or=75% of nights. Vascular events included recurrent TIA, stroke, hospitalization for congestive heart failure, myocardial infarction, or death. RESULTS: We enrolled 70 acute TIA patients: 45 intervention and 25 control. The majority of patients had sleep apnea: 57% at baseline and 59% at 90 days. Among the 30 intervention patients with airflow obstruction, 12 (40%) had acceptable auto-CPAP adherence, 18 (60%) had some use, and none had no use. Three intervention patients (12%) had recurrent events compared with 1 (2%;P=0.13) control patient. The vascular event rate was highest among sleep apnea patients with no CPAP use: none, 16%;some, 5%;acceptable adherence 0% (P=0.08). CONCLUSIONS: Sleep apnea is common among acute TIA patients. It appears feasible to provide auto-CPAP in the acute TIA period. Larger studies should evaluate whether a strategy of diagnosing and treating sleep apnea can reduce recurrent vascular events after TIA.Item Bleeding Risk, Physical Functioning, and Non-use of Anticoagulation Among Patients with Stroke and Atrial Fibrillation(2014-08) Schmid, Arlene A.; Ofner, Susan; Shorr, Ronald I; Williams, Linda S.; Bravata, Dawn M.Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common among people with stroke. Anticoagulation medications can be used to manage the deleterious impact of AF after stroke, however may not be prescribed due to concerns about post-stroke falls and decreased functioning. Thus, the purpose of this study was to identify, among people with stroke and AF, predictors of anticoagulation prescription at hospital discharge. Methods: This is a secondary analysis of a retrospective cohort study of data retrieved via medical records, including: National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score; Functional Independence Measure (FIM) motor score (motor or physical function); ambulation on 2nd day of hospitalization; Morse Falls Scale (fall risk); and HAS-BLED score (Hypertension; Abnormal renal and liver function; Stroke; Bleeding; Labile INRs; Elderly > 65; and Drugs or alcohol). Data analyses included bivariate comparisons between people with and without anticoagulation at discharge. Logistic-regression modeling was used to assess predictors of discharge anti-coagulation. Results: There were 334 subjects included in the analyses, average age was 75 years old. Anticoagulation was prescribed at discharge for 235 (70%) of patients. In the adjusted regression analyses, only the FIM motor score (adjusted OR = 1.015, 95%CI 1.001-1.028) and the HAS-BLED score (adjusted OR = 0.36, 95%CI 0.22-0.58) were significantly associated with anticoagulation prescription at discharge. Conclusion: It appears that in this sample, post-stroke anti-coagulation decisions appear to be made based on clinical factors associated with bleed risk and motor deficits or physical functioning. However, opportunities may exist for improving clinician documentation of specific reasoning for non-anticoagulation prescription.Item Building Cohesion in Distributed Telemedicine Teams Findings from the Department of Veterans Affairs National Telestroke Program(2020-07-16) Patel, Himalaya; Damush, Teresa M.; Miech, Edward J.; Rattray, Nicholas A.; Martin, Holly A.; Savoy, April; Plue, Laurie; Anderson, Jane; Martini, Sharyl; Graham, Glenn D,; Williams, Linda S.; Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical CenterBackground: As telemedicine adoption increases, so does the importance of building cohesion among physicians in telemedicine teams. For example, in acute telestroke services, stroke specialists provide rapid virtual stroke assessment and treatment to patients at hospitals without stroke specialty care. In the National Telestroke Program (NTSP) of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, a virtual (distributed) hub of stroke specialists throughout the country provides 24/7 consultations nationwide. We examined how these specialists adapted to distributed teamwork, and we identied cohesion-related factors inprogram development and support. Methods: We conducted a case study of the stroke specialists employed by the NTSP. Semi-structured, condential interviews with stroke specialists in the virtual hub were recorded and transcribed. We explored the extent to which these specialists had developed a sense of shared identity and teamcohesion, and we identied factors in this development. Using a qualitative approach with constant comparison methods, two researchers coded each interview transcript independently using a shared codebook. We used matrix displays to identify themes, with special attention to team cohesion, communication, trust, and satisfaction. Results: Of 13 specialists with at least 8 months of NTSP practice, 12 completed interviews; 7 had previously practiced in telestroke programs in other healthcare systems. Interviewees reported high levels of trust and team cohesion, sometimes even more with their virtual colleagues than with local colleagues. Factors facilitating perceived team cohesion included a weekly case conference call, a sense of transparency in discussing challenges, engagement in NTSP development tasks, and support from the NTSP leadership. Although lack of in-person contact was associated with lower cohesion, annual in-person NTSP meetings helped mitigate this issue. Despite technical challenges in establishing a new telehealth system within existing national infrastructure, providers reported high levels of satisfaction with the NTSP.Conclusion: A virtual telestroke hub can provide a sense of team cohesion among stroke specialists at a level comparable with a standard co-located practice. Engaging in transparent discussion of challenging cases, reviewing new clinical evidence, and contributing to program improvements may promotecohesion in distributed telemedicine teamsItem Building cohesion in distributed telemedicine teams: findings from the Department of Veterans Affairs National Telestroke Program(BMJ, 2021) Patel, Himalaya; Damush, Teresa M.; Miech, Edward J.; Rattray, Nicholas A.; Martin, Holly A.; Savoy, April; Plue, Laurie; Anderson, Jane; Martini, Sharyl; Graham, Glenn D.; Williams, Linda S.Background As telemedicine adoption increases, so does the importance of building cohesion among physicians in telemedicine teams. For example, in acute telestroke services, stroke specialists provide rapid remote stroke assessment and treatment to patients at hospitals without stroke specialty care. In the National Telestroke Program (NTSP) of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, a virtual (distributed) hub of stroke specialists throughout the country provides 24/7 consultations nationwide. We examined how these specialists adapted to distributed teamwork, and we identified cohesion-related factors in program development and support. Methods We studied the virtual hub of stroke specialists employed by the NTSP. Semi-structured, confidential interviews with stroke specialists in the virtual hub were recorded and transcribed. We explored the extent to which these specialists had developed a sense of shared identity and team cohesion, and we identified factors in this development. Using a qualitative approach with constant comparison methods, two researchers coded each interview transcript independently using a shared codebook. We used matrix displays to identify themes, with special attention to team cohesion, communication, trust, and satisfaction. Results Of 13 specialists with at least 8 months of NTSP practice, 12 completed interviews; 7 had previously practiced in telestroke programs in other healthcare systems. Interviewees reported high levels of trust and team cohesion, sometimes even more with their virtual colleagues than with co-located colleagues. Factors facilitating perceived team cohesion included a weekly case conference call, a sense of transparency in discussing challenges, engagement in NTSP development tasks, and support from the NTSP leadership. Although lack of in-person contact was associated with lower cohesion, annual in-person NTSP meetings helped mitigate this issue. Despite technical challenges in establishing a new telehealth system within existing national infrastructure, providers reported high levels of satisfaction with the NTSP. Conclusion A virtual telestroke hub can provide a sense of team cohesion among stroke specialists at a level comparable with a standard co-located practice. Engaging in transparent discussion of challenging cases, reviewing new clinical evidence, and contributing to program improvements may promote cohesion in distributed telemedicine teams.Item Care Trajectories of Veterans in the Twelve Months following Hospitalization for Acute Ischemic Stroke(AHA, 2015-10) Arling, Greg; Ofner, Susan; Reeves, Mathew J.; Myers, Laura J.; Williams, Linda S.; Daggy, Joanne K.; Phipps, Michael S.; Chumbler, Neale R.; Bravata, Dawn M.; Department of Neurology, IU School of MedicineBackground—Recovery after a stroke varies greatly between individuals and is reflected by wide variation in the use of institutional and home care services. This study sought to classify veterans according to their care trajectories in the 12 months after hospitalization for ischemic stroke. Methods and Results—The sample consisted of 3811 veterans hospitalized for ischemic stroke in Veterans Health Administration facilities in 2007. Three outcomes—nursing home care, home care, and mortality—were modeled jointly >12 months using latent class growth analysis. Data on Veterans’ care use and cost came from the Veterans Administration and Medicare. Covariates included stroke severity (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale), functional status (functional independence measure score), age, marital status, chronic conditions, and prestroke ambulation. Five care trajectories were identified: 49% of Veterans had Rapid Recovery with little or no use of care; 15% had a Steady Recovery with initially high nursing home or home care that tapered off; 9% had Long-Term Home Care; 13% had Long-Term Nursing Home Care; and 14% had an Unstable trajectory with multiple transitions between long-term and acute care settings. Care use was greatest for individuals with more severe strokes, lower functioning at hospital discharge, and older age. Average annual costs were highest for individuals with the Long-Term Nursing Home trajectory ($63 082), closely followed by individuals with the Unstable trajectory ($58 720). Individual with the Rapid Recovery trajectory had the lowest costs ($9271). Conclusions—Care trajectories after stroke were associated with stroke severity and functional dependency and they had a dramatic impact on subsequent costs.Item Circumstances and consequences of falls among people with chronic stroke(2013) Schmid, Arlene A.; Yaggi, H. Klar; Burrus, Nicholas; McClain, Vincent; Austin, Charles; Ferguson, Jared; Fragoso, Carlos; Sico, Jason J.; Miech, Edward J.; Matthias, Marianne S.; Williams, Linda S.; Bravata, Dawn M.Falls are common after stroke; however, circumstances and consequences are relatively unknown. Our objectives were to identify the differences between fallers and non-fallers among people with chronic stroke, identify the circumstances of fall events, and examine the consequences of the falls. This is a secondary data analysis; all participants included sustained a stroke. Variables included demographics, stroke characteristics, and comorbidities. Falls were collected via self-report, and circumstances and consequences were derived from participant description of the event and categorized as appropriate. Among 160 participants, 53 (33%) reported a fall during the 1 yr period. Circumstances of falls were categorized as intrinsic or extrinsic. Location and circumstance of the fall were included: 70% occurred at home and 40% were associated with impaired physical or mental state (e.g., inattention to tying shoes). Additionally, 21% of falls were associated with activities of daily living and mobility and 34% with slips or trips. The majority who fell sustained an injury (72%). Injuries ranged from bruising to fractures, and 55% of those with an injury sought medical care (32% to emergency department). Poststroke falls are associated with an alarming rate of injury and healthcare utilization. Targeting mental and physical states may be key to fall prevention.